Google hears protesters, changes sexual harassment policies – AOL

Nov 8 (Reuters) – Alphabet Inc’s Google said on Thursday it would make changes to how it handles sexual harassment claims, a week after thousands of its employees around the world walked off their jobs to protest its response to such issues.

“Going forward, we will provide more transparency on how we handle concerns,” Pichai said in a note https://www.blog.google/inside-google/company-announcements/note-our-employees addressed to employees.

Pichai also said Google will provide more details around sexual harassment investigations and outcomes, as well as improving processes used to handle such concerns, including the ability for its employees to be accompanied by a support person.

Google said employees will now be required to undergo sexual harassment training annually, instead of every two years currently.

Google staff stage a walkout at the company’s UK headquarters in London on November 1, 2018 as part of a global campaign over the US tech giant’s handling of sexual harassment. – Hundreds of employees walked out of Google’s European headquarters in Dublin on Thursday as part of a global campaign over the US tech giant’s handling of sexual harassment that saw similar protests in London and Singapore. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP) (Photo credit should read TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images)

Google staff stage a walkout at the company’s UK headquarters in London on November 1, 2018 as part of a global campaign over the US tech giant’s handling of sexual harassment. – Hundreds of employees walked out of Google’s European headquarters in Dublin on Thursday as part of a global campaign over the US tech giant’s handling of sexual harassment that saw similar protests in London and Singapore. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP) (Photo credit should read TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images)

Google staff stage a walkout at the company’s UK headquarters in London on November 1, 2018 as part of a global campaign over the US tech giant’s handling of sexual harassment. – Hundreds of employees walked out of Google’s European headquarters in Dublin on Thursday as part of a global campaign over the US tech giant’s handling of sexual harassment that saw similar protests in London and Singapore. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP) (Photo credit should read TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images)

Google staff stage a walkout at the company’s UK headquarters in London on November 1, 2018 as part of a global campaign over the US tech giant’s handling of sexual harassment. – Hundreds of employees walked out of Google’s European headquarters in Dublin on Thursday as part of a global campaign over the US tech giant’s handling of sexual harassment that saw similar protests in London and Singapore. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP) (Photo credit should read TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images)

Google employees at its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, join others from around the world walking out of their offices in protest over claims of sexual harassment, gender inequality and systemic racism at the tech giant. (Photo by Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images)

The Google offices in Granary Square, London where some members of staff staged a walkout as a part of a protest over the company’s treatment of women. (Photo by Stefan Rousseau/PA Images via Getty Images)

Google employees at its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, join others from around the world walking out of their offices in protest over claims of sexual harassment, gender inequality and systemic racism at the tech giant. (Photo by Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images)

Google employees at its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, join others from around the world walking out of their offices in protest over claims of sexual harassment, gender inequality and systemic racism at the tech giant. (Photo by Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images)

Google employees at its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, join others from around the world walking out of their offices in protest over claims of sexual harassment, gender inequality and systemic racism at the tech giant. (Photo by Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images)

Google employees at its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, join others from around the world walking out of their offices in protest over claims of sexual harassment, gender inequality and systemic racism at the tech giant. (Photo by Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images)

Google employees at its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, join others from around the world walking out of their offices in protest over claims of sexual harassment, gender inequality and systemic racism at the tech giant. (Photo by Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images)

Google employees at its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, join others from around the world walking out of their offices in protest over claims of sexual harassment, gender inequality and systemic racism at the tech giant. (Photo by Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images)

People gather next to the Google office to attend the Google Walkout in Dublin, Ireland November 1, 2018 in this picture obtained from social media. Twitter/Cathal Curry/REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.

People gather next to the Google office to attend the Google Walkout in Dublin, Ireland November 1, 2018 in this picture obtained from social media. Twitter/Cathal Curry/REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.

Workers stand outside the Google offices after walking out as part of a global protest over workplace issues in Dublin, Ireland, November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Workers stand outside Google’s European headquarters after walking out as part of a global protest over workplace issues, in Dublin, Ireland, November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Hello from Google in London. A groups just came out for the #googlewalkout https://t.co/nTeZ9rSAKC

Confirming: the Google Walkout is real and deeply inspiring. Hundreds of people are demanding structural change, no… https://t.co/vUlZmGOfHB

Google workers here in Dublin walk out in protest against sexism, racism and unchecked executive power in the compa… https://t.co/WvjH8YAyQF

Google employees in Dublin starting their walkout in protest at the recent revelations about the treatment of women… https://t.co/fZQrbBziUT

The company also said it would publicly release its harassment, discrimination and retaliation policies.

The protests at Google earlier this month followed a New York Times report that the company in 2014 gave a $90 million exit package to a senior vice president, Andy Rubin, after he was accused of sexual harassment. (Reporting by Arjun Panchadar in Bengaluru and Paresh Dave in San Francisco; Editing by Anil D’Silva)